I’m Having Prostate Cancer Surgery; How Much Time Do I Need To Take Off Work?

Most men want to know how much time they will need to take off work, when they need to have prostate surgery. It really depends on the kind of job you have. If you have a sit down job, where you must sit for several hours at a time, you could be back to work in a week or longer depending on the type of surgery you have. If you have a sit down job, you might talk to your doctor about the surgical approach. The perineal approach may not be the best surgical approach for a person that has a sit down job. The retropubic approach to the prostatectomy might be the best approach for the man works in an office all day long. If you work at home, there is no problem. You can start working in just a few days if you feel like it.

Wearing a catheter

For the first two weeks after prostate surgery you will have a Foley catheter inserted into your bladder through your urethra. It may be very cumbersome to deal with an indwelling catheter for two weeks, so if you work away from home, it would probably be best to stay home for that two week period. Not only would it be cumbersome, but it might also create an avenue for a urinary tract infection.

Recuperation time and work schedule

You may need to take more time off work if you work in a job that requires you to lift. Most people who have surgeries need at least 6 to 8 weeks to heal through the layers of muscles that have been cut in surgery. If you go to work too soon, and start lifting, you could cause a hernia to develop in the area of the incision. Going to work too early, when you have a strenuous job could cause you to become incontinent of urine. In fact, some men have difficulty with continence for a year or two after surgery.

Released from doctor’s care to work

Most men who have prostate surgery can go back to work part time after a two week period, if the work is very light duty. If you are self-employed, you can resume work whenever you feel up to it and your doctor releases you. Your doctor will release you to work with or without limitations. If you are an employee for a company, you might worry about your job waiting for you when you are released. Don’t worry, because your employer cannot force you to come back to work before you are released by your doctor.

Sick time

Most employees have sick time they can use to take off work, so they won’t lose any pay. Some men, who have to take leave for surgery, use sick days and vacation days. Other employees have PDO days, which are paid days off, which are not specified for sick or vacation. If you have PDO days you can take these days off any way you need to. You can take the time off you need to get well without worrying about not getting a paycheck during your recuperation.

Plan ahead

Talk with your doctor, well ahead of your surgery, to get an idea of how long you will need to be out of work. Then, as soon as you know an approximate recuperation period, speak to your boss about the time off. It is better to take off a little more time than you need, than not to take enough time off. You can always leave the door open at your job to come back a little earlier if you don’t need as much time off as you thought. Most people take 3 to 4 weeks off from work after having prostate surgery. If you take off 4 weeks, but you are fit for work in 3 your doctor could release you a week early.

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• Types of Treatment
• Side Effects
• Prostatectomy
• Prostate Cancer Surgery